The genetic evidence also sheds light on the evolution of Brazil's ancient societies. It suggests that there were two separate migrations—one into the hinterland and another along the coast, giving rise to the diverse communities found in the southeast and south of Brazil.
Ancient technology
Furthermore, the study delves into the mysterious disappearance of the sambaqui builders, the first hunter-gatherers of the Holocene period.
Contrary to the European Neolithic model of population substitution, the findings indicate that the change observed in these coastal communities was not due to an influx of new populations but rather a shift in cultural practices.
Genetic material from Galheta IV, a renowned site from this era in Santa Catarina state, revealed a transition from using shells to ceramics for food processing. The coastal communities seemed to have adapted and embraced pottery, adopting techniques from the hinterland.
"This information is compatible with a 2014 study that analyzed pottery shards from sambaquis and found that the pots in question were used to cook not domesticated vegetables but fish," Strauss said.